Cucumber

The peanut notes in this slaw remind us of the Indonesian skewered meat dish saté. As a result, we think grilled steak, shrimp, or pork would make a terrific main course as an alternative to the Hoisin Five-Spice Chicken Legs.

The classic cold soup, as interpreted by Ouro Branco restaurant, Vila Viçosa, Portugal.

Raita is a fresh yogurt sauce that typically accompanies curries and other Indian dishes. This raita also acts as a marinade.

When preparing bread salad, do not drizzle with oil and vinegar until just before serving, or the bread cubes will become soggy.

A creamy blend of ripe avocados, cucumbers, yogurt, lime juice—and a bit of jalapeño—make this soup bright, spicy, and satisfying. Have we mentioned it only takes ten minutes?

Serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices.

If you can't find Thai anise basil and Thai lemon basil, you can substitute Italian basil and lemon balm (the latter is available at farmers markets and specialty produce stores).

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

"Michael Kornick's hip mk restaurant in Chicago has quickly become one of my favorite places for a special dinner," writes Thien Sylora of Chicago, Illinois. "I had a terrific gazpacho there."

Chlodnik Polish cooks serve this soup (pronounced "hu-WOHD-neek") as a cooling first course for summer meals. It's a delicious alternative to gazpacho.

Yam Taeng Kwa Dried shrimp are an acquired taste; they have a very strong fish flavor. But this salad is wonderfully refreshing even without the shrimp. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Hungarian Jewish food is a perfect example of acculturation. Take this piquant cucumber salad, which can be made with one of the three different kinds of paprika — mild, sharp, or sweet. Taken there by the Turks who discovered it in the New World, paprika has been cultivated in Hungary since the sixteenth century.